Auxiliary steering-gear for ships.



PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904.

E. O. AKERS.

AUXILIARY STEERING GEAR FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.29, 1902.

3 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

NO MODEL.

No. 772,809. PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904. E. G. AKERS.

AUXILIARY STEERING GEAR FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION IILED JAN. 29, 1902. NO MODEL. 3 SHBETS-SHEBT 2.

- No. 772,309. PATTENTED OCT. 11,1904.

B; G. AKERS. AUXILIARY STEERING-GEAR FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1902.

N0 MODEL; 1 s sums-suns! a.

x 4. Q I Wineries. R '8 Jrz' era/or.- Q QnMA. I I 3 Zn-1.1 1744,

UNITED STATES Patented October 11, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

EARL (J. AKERS, OF PORT HURON MIOHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AKERS STEERING GEAR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AUXILIARY STEERING-GEAR FOR SHIPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent- No. 772,309, dated October 11, 1904.

Application filed January 29, 1902. Serial No."91,681. (No model.)

vented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Auxiliary Steering Gears for Shlps, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to improvements in steering-gear mechanisms for boats, and refers more specifically to an improved auxiliary steering-gear whichis so constructed as to be normally out of operative connection with the rudder of the boat and which may be promptly brought into connection therewith when the main steering mechanism is disconnected from the rudder, means being provided for disconnecting the main steering mechanism from the rudder at the time the spare or auxiliary gear is brought into operative connection therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for connecting the auxiliary steer: ing mechanism'with the rudder or rudderpost, which means are operable at a point distant from the rudderas, for instance, at a suitably-located spare wheel on the boat or other device for operating the auxiliary steering mechanism'whereby such connection of the auxiliary steering mechanism may be made with the rudder or rudder-post by the same person who operates or superintends the operation of the auxiliary steering mechanism and without the necessity of leaving the point on the boat from which power is communicated to operate the auxiliary steering mechanism.

In my prior United States Letters Patent for improvements in auxiliary steering-gears, No. 649,7 90, granted to me on the 15th day of May, A. D. 1900, I have shown means whereby the auxiliary gear may be thrown into connection with the rudder in case the main gear becomes disabled; but the construction disclosed in said patent does not provide means for disconnecting the main steering-gear from the rudder, and thereby relieve the auxiliary gear of the stress and work of moving the tiller-chains and quadrant of the main steering gear or mechanism, both of which latter are liable to become jammed and disable the entire apparatus.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide means for disconnecting the main gear from the rudder at the time the auxiliary gear is brought into service, so that the work which devolves upon the auxiliary gear is only that of controlling the rudder; p

The invention consists of the matters here inafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the stern of a ship in side elevation, av portion of the hull being broken away fitted with a spare gear, the regular gear being shown in connection with the rudder and the spare gear in its normal inoperative position. Fig. 2 is an end viewof the stern of the ship, portions of the hull being broken away, the parts being in the same relative position as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end View of the stern similar to Fig. 2, showing the main steering gear disconnected and the auxiliary gear controlling the rudder. Fig. 4 is a View indetail in side elevation, of a clutch-gear. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the clutch-gear. tion of a clutch-gear collar. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the collar. Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation, slightly enlarged, of a gear-clutch trip. Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the clutch-trip taken in a plane at right angles to Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a view in detail of a quadrant-clutch collar. Fig. 11 is a plan View of the quadrant-clutch. Fig. 12 is a view in side elevation of the main quadrant. Fig. 18 is a plan view of the main quadrant. Fig. 14 is a view in elevation of a main quadrant-clutch. Fig. 15 is a plan view of the main quadrantclutch. Fig. 16 is a view in side elevation, partially broken away, of a vessel. Fig. 17 is a fragmentary view of a wheel-stand, showing the gear connections.

Fig. 6 is aview in side eleva- Referring to the drawings A represents the hull of a boat, having the usual decks a and a Said vessel is provided with a rudder B, whose rudder-post B is rotatively secured in the customary manner in the hull and whose upper end extends through the deck a. Said rudder-post is provided with the usual quadrant C, from which tiller-chains pass forward to the main steering-gear of the ship. Said quadrant comprises the usual segment 0 and a hub 0 which has sliding and rotative engagement on the rudder-post B. The upper face of said hub is provided with a plurality of radially-disposed notches c Aquad rant clutch-collar D has sliding engagement on the rudder-post B above the quadran t-collar and is provided with two oppositely-disposed cam depressions (Z on its upper surface. An arm at" projects radially from said collar and affords a convenient means of attaching a rope, chain, or other flexible connection by which the collar may be rotated upon the rudder-post. A pair of upwardly projecting rods 0*, secured at opposite points on the quadrant-collar, have their upper ends bent inwardly at right angles to their main axis and adapted to ride upon the upper surface of the clutch-collar D.

Between the clutch-collar D and the quadrant-collar a clutch-ring E is interposed, said ring being keyed or splined to the rudderpost B so as to rotate therewith. The under face of said ring E is provided with radiallydisposed lugs e, which register in size and position with the radial slots 0 in the quadrantcollar.

The operation of the device, so far as described, is obvious. When the main steering-gear is in connection with the main quadrant C, the parts are disposed in the position disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, the clutch being held in engagement by the rods 0, which rest upon the plane face of the collar D near the cam depressions (Z. Consequently any oscillation of the quadrant C is communicated through the clutch-ring E to the rudder-post B. In case the clutch-collar D is turned so as to bring the cam depressions cl beneath the ends 0 of the rods 0 the latter slide down the inclined planes, thereby allowing the quadrant C to v fall away and the clutch-rings to separate.

A gear F is keyed or otherwise secured to the rudder-post Babove the clutch-cam D and is in mesh with a pinion G. The latter is secured to a vertical shaft G, rotatively secured to the vessel and extending to the upper deck, where it is connected by bevel-gears in the well-known manner to a horizontal shaft H,ro tating in a wheel-stand H of the usual design and fitted with the usual steering-wheels H A preferable form of construction for the parts is to inclose the portion of the vertical shaft between the main and upper decks in a hollow stanchion I, which serves also as a supwasoe port to which the pedestal of the wheel-stand 5 H may be securely bolted. A clutch-collar g is formed integrally with the hub of said gear G and projects upwardly therefrom, so as to register with a clutch-collar g, the two opposing faces of the collar and gear being correspondingly notched or slotted in the customary manner, so as to firmly engage each other when brought together. The collar g has non-rotative sliding engagement on the vertical shaft GU A spring in compression between the upper face of the collar 9' and a suitable stopg serves to force the parts together. When the spare gear is in its normal inoperative position, the clutchcollar is raised and rests upon a trip K.

' Said trip comprises a shank is, centrally pivoted on a suitable pivot-pin to a vertical support, so as to oscillate in a vertical plane. The lower end of said shank is provided with a horizontal arm adapted to extend under the clutch-collar 9 when the shank k is in a vertical position, and thereby afford a support for the said collar. The upper end of the shank is is provided with an arm extending at right angles to the shank and preferably in a plane transverse to the vertical plane of the lower arm is. The upper end of the upper arm k is provided with an aperture nection L is fastened at one end to the outer end of the main-quadrant clutch-collar arm.

wheel-stand H, where it is secured to a winch M of the ordinary pattern. A stop Z is secured to said rope L beneath the arm A? of the clutch-trip K. Said rope is so adjusted as to be fairly taut between the stop land the winch M when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, while a sufficient amount of slack is provided between the stop and the main-quadrant clutch-arm d to allow for oscillation with the rudder-post.

It will be noted from the above disposition of the parts also that the spare wheels H may be at one side of the center of the boat, and consequently a man stationed there has a clear view of the front of the boat, his line of sight not being impeded by the spars, stacks, or other obstructions.

The operation of the device when the clutch is used is as follows: The parts being arranged in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the main steering-gear is in control of the rudder, and the ship of course is guided in the usual manner. When the boat is laboring in a heavy sea or is approaching a tortuous or narrow channel or is subject to other conditions which are likely to part the main steering-tackle, a man is stationed on the upper deck near the auxiliary steering-wheels.

A rope, chain, or other flexible con-;

If the main gear parts, a prearranged signal is given him by the officer in charge. By means of the winch M he trips the clutchtrip K, thereby connecting the pinion Grwith the vertical shaft G. The same movement of the 'winch M draws the rope or other fleXible connection below the trip K taut, and

. this swings the clutch-collar D round with v necessary.

varied without departing from the spirit of respect to'the rudder-post, and as a conse quence the main quadrant C fallsaway from the clutch-ring E, the rod ends 0 passing down the inclined cam-faces, This single movement of the winch M thus not only connects the spare steering-wheels H with the rudder-post, but also disconnects all the chains and quadrant of the main gear, so that there is no dead-weight or slack chains-to be moved through the tiller-sheaves. sequence the boat is instantly under control and can be held toits course until the main gear can be repaired. The ratio between the gear F and the pinion G, as well as that bethe invention, and I do not wish to be limited to such details except as-herein specifically claimed. v

a I claim as my invention 1. Aships steering-gear comprising a main steering mechanism operatively connected with the rudder, a spare steering-gear normall y disconnected from the rudder,and means operating to automatically release said main steering mechanism from the rudder when said spare gear is operatively connected with the rudder. q

2. A ships steering-gear comprising a main steering mechanism operatively connected with the rudder, a spare steering-gear normally disconnected from the rudder, and means acting to simultaneously disconnect said steering mechanism from the rudder .and to connect said spare steering-gear with the rudder.

3. A ships steeringrgear comprising a main steering mechanism operatively connected with the rudder, a spare steering-wheel normally disconnected from the rudder, and means operating to automatically and simultaneously disconnect said main steering mechanism from the rudder and operatively connect said spare steering-wheel with the rudder. v

4. A ships steering-gear comprising a main steering wheel, connections between said steering-wheel and the rudder, a spare steering-wheel normally disconnected from the rudder and means for operatively connecting As a consaid spare steering-wheel with the rudder, and

acting to disengage the connections between the main steering-wheel and said rudder.

5. A ships steering-gear comprising a main steering-wheel operatively connected with the rudder, a spare steering-wheel, means on the rudder-post for connecting said spare wheel thereto, and normally disconnected from said spare wheel, and means for disconnecting said main steering-wheel from the rudder and acting to automatically connect the spare wheel with the rudder-post.

6. A ships steering-gear comprisinga main steering-wheel, tackle connecting said wheel with the rudder, a spare steering-wheel, a shaft operated by said spare steering wheel and adapted to be brought into operative connection with the rudderpost, and means for disconnecting said tackle from the rudder and also for operating to connect said shaft with said rudder-post.

7 A shi s steering-gear com risin a main steering-wheel, tackle connecting said wheel with the rudder, a spare steering-wheel, a shaft operated by said spare steering-wheel and adapted to be brought into operative connection with the rudder-post, and means for disconnecting said tackle from the rudder and acting to simultaneously bring said shaft into operative connection with the rudder-post.

8. A ships steering-gear comprising a main steering mechanism connected with the rudder, a spare steering-wheel, a vertical revoluble shaft operated by said spare steeringwheel and adapted to be brought into operative connection with the rudder-post, and

means acting to simultaneously disconnect said main steering mechanism from the rudder and bring'said shaft into operative connection with the rudder-post.

9. A sh ips steering-gear comprising a main steering mechanism connected with the rudder, a spare steering-wheel, a shaft operated by said spare steering-wheel, a gear on the rudder-post, a pinion revoluble on said shaft and in mesh with said gear, a clutch on said shaft adaptedto lock said pinion thereto, and means acting to disconnect the main steering mechanism from the rudder when said clutch is thrown into engagement with said pinion.

10. A ships steering-gear comprising a main steering mechanism connected with the rudder, a spare steering-wheel, a shaft operated by said spare steering-wheel, a gear on the rudder-post, a pinion revoluble on said shaft and in mesh with said gear, a clutch on said shaft adapted to lock said pinion thereto, and means adapted to simultaneously disconnect the main steering mechanism from the rudder and bring said clutch and pinion into engagement.

11. A ships steering-gear comprising a main steering mechanism connected with the rudder, a spare steering-wheel, a shaft, bevelgears connecting said shaft and spare steeringwheel, a gear on the rudder-post, a pinion rev oluble on said shaft in mesh with said gear, a clutch on said shaft adapted to lock said pinion thereto, and means adapted to simultaneousl y disengage said main steering mechanism from the rudder and throw said clutch and pinion into engagement.

12. Aships steering-gear comprisingamain steering mechanism connected with the rudder, aspare steering-Wheel, ashaft operatively connected to said spare steering-wheel, a gear secured to the rudder-post, a pinion revoluble on said shaft in mesh with said gear, a clutch on said shaft adapted to lock said pinion thereto, a winch, and connecting means between said winch, clutch and main steering mechanism, adapted to sin'iultancously disconnect said main steering mechanism from the rudder and throw said clutch into engagement with said pinion.

13. A ships steering-gear comprising a main steering mechanism connected with the rudder, a spare steering-wheel, a vertical revoluble shaft operatively connected with said spare steering-wheel, a gear on the rudder-post, a pinion revoluble on said shaft and in mesh with said gear,aspring-actuated clutch on said shaft for locking said pinion to said shaft, a trip normall y hold ing said clutch disengaged from said pinion, and means acting to disconnect said main steering mechanism from the rudder when said clutch is released by said trip.

14. A ships steering-gear comprising a main steering mechanism connected with the rudder, a spare steering-wheel, a vertical revoluble shaft operatively connected with said spare steering-wheel, a gear secured to the rudderpost, a pinion revoluble on said shaft and in mesh with said gear, a spring-actuated clutch on said shaft for locking said pinion thereto, a trip normally holding said clutch disengaged from said pinion, and means acting to simultaneously disconnect said main steering mechanism from said rudder and release said clutch from said trip.

15. Ashipssteering-gearcomprisingamain steering-wheel, a quadrant and rudder-post connected with the rudder, flexible connections between said main steering-wheel and quadrant, a spare steering-wheel, a gear secured to said rudder-post, a vertical revoluble secured to said rudder-post, a vertical revolublc shaft operatively connected to said spare wheel, a pinion revoluble on said shaft and in mesh with said gear, a spring-actuated clutch on said shaft for locking said pinion to said shaft, a trip normally holding said clutch disengaged from said pinion, and means acting to simultaneously disconnect said flexible connections from the rudder-post, and release said clutch from said trip.

17. A ships steering-gear comprising a main steering-wheel, a quadrant and rudder-post connected with the rudder, a spare steeringwheel, a revoluble shaft operatively connected with said spare steering-wheel, a gear secured to said rudder-post, a pinion revoluble on said shaft and in mesh with said gear, a clutch on said shaft adapted to lock said pinion thereto, a trip normally holding said clutch out of engagement with said pinion, means for disconnecting said main steering-wheel from said rudder-post and means acting to release said trip from said clutch.

18. The combination with the main steering mechanism of a boat, of an auxiliary steering mechanism, and means located adjacent to the rudder and operable by a device situated at a point distant from the rudder for disconnecting the rudder from the main steering mechanism when the auxiliary steering mechanism is brought into service.

19. In a steering-gear for boats, the combination with a main steering mechanism connected with the rudder, an auxiliary steering mechanism, gearing located immediately adjacent to the rudder-post, by which said auxiliary steering mechanism may be connected with the rudder, said gearing being normally inert to transmit motion from said auxiliary steering mechanism to the rudder, and means located at a point distant from the rudder for connecting the auxiliary steering mechanism with the rudder.

20. In a steering-gear for boats, the combination with a rudder and its post and a main steering mechanism connected with said rudder, of an auxiliary steering mechanism comprising a rotative shaft adjacent to the rudder-post, gears on the shaft and rudder-post which are normally inert to transmit motion from said shaft to the rudder-post, and means operable at a point distant from the rudderpost for operatively connecting said shaft with the rudder-post through said gears.

21. In a steering-gear for boats, the combination with the rudder and its post and a main steering mechanism connected with said rudder, of an auxiliary steering mechanism comprising a rotative shaft, a gear on the rudderpost, a pinion on the shaft which is in mesh with the rudder-post gear and is normally free to rotate idly on said shaft, and means operable at a point distant from the rudder for temporarily fixing said pinion to said shaft pinion to said shaftand means operable at a point distant from the rudder for operating TO said clutch to lock said pinion to said shaft. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 25th day of January, A. D. 1902.

EARL O. AKERS. [L. s.] Witnesses:

G. TH. DE KAM, CHARLES R. MORRISON. 

